Chapter 20: Jinling City (2)
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Three days ago, at the residence of Prime Minister of the Cabinet Xu Hui.
Several civil officials in red robes gathered together, all adopted sons of Xu Hui, now holding high positions.
Tang Mengyang, with his eloquence, often flattered Emperor Wen Tai and rose quickly in rank. Recently, he had been unlucky. During a trip outside the capital, he was robbed, and even his carriage was taken, leaving him with only his underwear!
In the twelfth lunar month, he barely survived and returned to the capital, only to fall ill.
Just recovering, his face still bruised, he sat among the others.
On a grand chair sat a young man with dark circles under his eyes, looking weak. He leisurely said, “Tang Mengyang, you are the deputy chief examiner for this year’s imperial examinations. The assistant chief examiner is the main examiner. Do you have the list of candidates?”
“Yes, Lord Xu, I have it here.” Tang Mengyang presented a well-organized list of candidates, each page listing thirty names, with about a hundred pages in total.
Lord Xu flipped through the list.
This Lord Xu was not Prime Minister Xu Hui but his second son, Xu Zhuojun, the former top scorer three years ago.
Xu Zhuojun browsed for a while and then closed the list with a frown, “Why didn’t you mark the provincial top scorers? How careless of you!”
“This… I apologize, Lord Xu, it was an oversight.”
Tang Mengyang didn’t dare to mark them.
Xu Zhuojun snorted and turned to another grand scholar, “Mark the names of the provincial top scorers for me.”
The Xu faction, led by Prime Minister Xu Hui, secretly recruited talents from all over the country. These provincial top scorers were all virtuous people they aimed to win over before the exams. Those who caught Xu Hui’s eye were even adopted as sons and promoted.
He already had over a dozen adopted sons.
The Grand Academician of Wenyuan Pavilion quickly marked the names of the provincial top scorers, “Lord Xu, these are the ones.”
There were only about twenty names in total, and Xu Zhuojun looked through them one by one.
“Liu Yuanchun, twenty-nine years old, from Jiangxi, participated in the provincial exam three times, became a top scorer at twenty-six.”
“Lin Zikui, seventeen years old, from Huainan, became a top scorer at fourteen?” Xu Zhuojun paused, “A top scorer at fourteen, Lin Zikui… this name sounds familiar.”
Tang Mengyang was sweating.
Xu Zhuojun raised his eyebrows, “Tang Mengyang, isn’t this Lin Zikui the one who, three years ago, refused to collude with us, made a big fuss about reporting to the Emperor during the imperial exam, accusing us of conspiring with the Shuntian Prefecture to arrest talented candidates, preventing them from taking the exam? And once they were taken into the Shuntian Prefecture, they died mysteriously?”
Tang Mengyang’s legs were shaking, “Yes… it should be him.”
He didn’t expect Xu Zhuojun to have such a good memory.
Lin Zikui was unforgettable—a prodigy who passed the provincial exams at fourteen. In the past three hundred years, there were only two or three like him!
“What do you mean ‘should’? Lord Tang, you once told me that Lin Zikui was blind and couldn’t take the exams. How come he’s here now?” Xu Zhuojun’s face darkened, slamming the list on the table.
Tang Mengyang, wiping sweat, said, “He… might have recovered after going home.”
“You don’t need me to tell you what to do, right? If I see him at the imperial exams, watch out for your hat!”
Tang Mengyang, lowering his head, replied, “Yes, my lord, I’ll handle it right away.”
Three years ago, out of pity for young, naive Lin Zikui, Tang Mengyang saved his life once, even bribing Xu’s faction to avoid truly blinding him.
But this second time, he had no choice but to blind him for real.
Coincidentally, Lin Zikui arrived just as Tang Mengyang was worrying about what to do.
He drugged Lin Zikui’s tea, and late at night, Tang Mengyang sneaked into his room.
Lin Zikui was unconscious, seemingly dreaming, looking very peaceful. Tang Mengyang recalled that earlier, during dinner, Lin Zikui mentioned the second young miss of the Xiao family.
He said that Lord Xiao asked him to come to discuss about marriage.
So Lin Zikui was happy, even eating an extra bowl of rice.
Now, Tang Mengyang stood by the bed with a needle, feeling reluctant.
“Brother, don’t blame me. If I don’t do this, you might not even survive.”
He pried open Lin Zikui’s eyelid, trembling as he slowly lowered the needle.
The needle tip touched the thin surface of his eyeball and pressed down.
Tang Mengyang looked away.
Lin Zikui, unconscious, didn’t even cry out in pain.
Just then, there was a creak at the door. Tang Mengyang, startled, accidentally scratched Lin Zikui’s pupil with the needle before dropping it.
He quickly hid and saw a hunched figure with a lantern, cautiously stepping in. It was him!
Tang Mengyang immediately dragged his male favorite out of Lin Zikui’s room. “Ping Le! What are you doing!”
Ping Le, still shaken, replied, “Master, why did you…”
“Mind your own business,” he said coldly, sending the male favorite back to his room. “Defy me again, and I’ll sell you off!”
Ping Le was driven back to his courtyard, sighing, thought what could his master do by going into Lin Zikui’s room in the middle of the night? He must have intended to take advantage of Lin Zikui.
Poor Young Master Lin.
The next morning, Lin Zikui woke up feeling groggy. He had slept unusually deeply and, upon opening his eyes, saw only a hazy blur, causing him to rub them.
It hurt.
It hurt a lot…
He closed his eyes in pain, groping for his Ai Dai from the previous night but couldn’t find it.
Where was his Ai Dai?
Panicking, he sat up and searched around, eventually kneeling on the floor and finding the Ai Dai broken into several pieces, with only the frame intact.
Lin Zikui’s fingers faltered and, after a moment, he shakily picked up the fragments. The pain in his eyes made it difficult for him to open them. This sensation reminded him of an incident years ago. If Tang Mengyang hadn’t suddenly appeared, stopped the people who were assaulting him, and taken him to see a doctor, Lin Zikui might have ended up blind.
At that time, Tang Mengyang had told him, “Dear brother, heed my advice and don’t overestimate your strength. You cannot afford to offend those powerful nobles! If you continue to clash with them, it will only lead to your ruin. Your life is valuable; your little attendant is still young. If something happens to you, do you think they would spare your little attendant? Brother, live well, leave Jinling, and never return.”
In Lin Zikui’s eyes, Tang Mengyang was definitely not a bad person.
Indeed, he had joined Xu Hui’s faction.
Lin Zikui clutched the broken pieces of the precious item given to him by the Second Young Miss, feeling a deep discomfort. How could something so precious be shattered…
With his other hand, he unconsciously fumbled on the ground and, slowly, found a small needle.
Lin Zikui held his breath.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.
It was Tang Mengyang’s voice: “Brother Huaifu, are you awake? I need to go to court. Lord Xiao is now an official in the Ministry of Revenue and works with me in the court. If you wish to see him, I can take you there when I return, if that suits you?”
His voice was gentle and considerate. Lin Zikui bowed his head, quickly tucked the needle into his sleeve, and, using the broken item as support, stood up: “Brother Tang, I’m up. Could you come in for a moment?”
“Brother?” Tang Mengyang pushed open the door and, seeing Lin Zikui’s disheveled appearance, was concerned: “Brother, what happened…”
Lin Zikui forced a nonchalant expression: “My eyes are a bit uncomfortable, and the Ai Dai was accidentally broken. Could I trouble you, Brother Tang, to take me to Lord Xiao’s residence first?” He wasn’t sure if revealing everything now would let him leave Tang’s residence safely.
“Of course, of course, of course, I’ll take you to Lord Xiao’s residence right away!”
Thinking about how Lin Zikui might be asked to cancel his engagement with Lord Xiao, Tang Mengyang sighed inwardly.
Such a talented person, yet he had unfortunately offended a petty character like Xu Zhuojun.
Lin Zikui maintained a calm demeanor and left the residence with him.
As soon as they stepped outside, two spies watching Tang Mengyang nearby reported back: “Lord Xu, Tang Mengyang indeed has issues. Lin Zikui, the top scholar from Huainan, was actually spending the night at his residence!”
Xu Zhuojun sneered coldly: “Tang Mengyang, you’re trying to get us all killed, what a despicable person. Lin Zikui must be eliminated; he’s a disaster! If he were to pass the imperial examination and lodge a complaint during the palace exam, where would my father’s reputation go?!”
Spy: “So… should we kill him?”
Xu Zhuojun shook his head: “That would be too easy for him. He’s trying to threaten me, clearly overestimating himself. I remember he has a delicate appearance. Feed him some mute medicine, send him to Chunshu Alley, and then get rid of him.”
Chunshu Alley was known for being a place where people met their end in brutal ways.
Xu Zhuojun added: “And about Tang Mengyang, give him a warning. He seems to like playing around with men; have him castrated!”
As the spy was about to leave, he suddenly recalled a very important matter: “Oh, Lord, there’s one more thing to report. Someone went to the Ministry of Rites to investigate the case of the missing scholars from the imperial examinations three years ago.”
Xu Zhuojun stood up abruptly: “What? Who is so audacious!”
Spy: “It’s… General Chen.”
“General Chen? Which General Chen? The one from the Patrol Camp?! What is he investigating? Find a way to silence him.”
The spy shook his head: “It’s General Chen from the Northern Frontier, the one guarding the pass.”
Xu Zhuojun: “…”
Xu Zhuojun: “…Who did you say?”
Spy: “It’s Marquis Dingbei.”
Xu Zhuojun clenched his fingers in disbelief: “What does this have to do with Marquis Dingbei? Why is he investigating this? A civil service examination case has nothing to do with him!” Normally, if a general was investigating, the Xu family could easily suppress it and eliminate them quietly. But Xiao Fu…
He was indeed not someone to mess with.
Rumors from his concubine sister in the inner court said that shortly after the emperor ascended the throne, he did something foolish that angered Xiao Fu. Xiao Fu actually slapped him, causing the emperor’s face to swell on the spot.
Xiao Fu had calmly said, “It’s natural for an uncle to slap his nephew. Yuwen Duo, if you want to keep your throne, don’t test me.”
Xiao Fu.
He really wasn’t someone to provoke.
He was a madman with no regard for anyone.
Xu Zhuojun felt a severe headache: “Why is everyone against me? Marquis Dingbei wants to investigate the examination case, and Lin Zikui wants to lodge a complaint with the emperor…”
Lin Zikui sat in the Tang residence’s carriage, appearing calm, but his fingers were clenched tightly, with unease lurking beneath the surface.
Tang Mengyang, sitting beside him, asked, “Brother, what’s wrong with your eyes? Can you still open them?”
“They hurt a bit, and I can’t open them.” He suddenly felt anxious. When he met Lord Xiao later, would his current state make the other party dissatisfied?
So, Lin Zikui forced himself to open his eyes.
There were a few clear blood vessels in the whites of his eyes, with light red tears at the corners.
One eye could see something, while the other hurt intensely upon opening, forcing him to close it again and rub it with the back of his hand.
Two clear streaks of blood and tears slowly flowed down.
He said nothing, just clenched his hands, appearing fragile yet extremely resilient.
Seeing him like this, Tang Mengyang felt he might know everything.
He opened his mouth: “Brother…”
Lin Zikui turned his head away, the light outside the curtain too glaring for his one eye, making him close it again. He asked as calmly as possible, “Brother Tang, how much longer until we arrive?”
“Almost there, just around the corner.”
Lin Zikui got off the carriage, learning that Xiao Xiao had already gone to court, as had Tang Mengyang. The Xiao family’s servant led him inside. Lin Zikui walked unsteadily, afraid of making a fool of himself, and asked the servant, “I stayed up late reading last night, and now I can hardly see. May I hold onto you as I walk?”
“Ah, Young Master, please go slowly.” The servant reached out to support him. “Madam said to have you wait in the hall; she’ll be right there.”
“Alright.” Lin Zikui squinted, seeing what he assumed were a teapot and teacups on the table. He reached out several times before touching them.
Lin Zikui silently drank tea. The hall was either empty or filled with unseen people, perhaps laughing at him. He could only straighten his back and wait, what felt like half a lifetime.
Finally, a tall woman entered. Lin Zikui couldn’t see her clearly but deduced from her footsteps and shadow,
This must be Madam Xiao.
Lin Zikui stood and respectfully bowed deeply: “Lin Zikui greets Aunt.”
This deep bow was reserved for parents.
Madam Xiao, initially aggressive, stopped in her tracks.
“Please, nephew, rise,” she said, helping Lin Zikui up, noticing his abnormally red eyes, seemingly bleeding. “Oh dear, your eyes!”
Lin Zikui repeated his excuse: “I stayed up reading until dawn, I’m deeply ashamed. I hope Aunt doesn’t mind. Here is the marriage contract.”
She quickly took the contract, confirming it before relaxing, then looked at Lin Zikui: “It’s not your fault, nephew… You’ve worked hard.”
Wasn’t he said to have crossed eyes? How did this happen…
Madam Xiao hesitated, making small talk, praising his handsomeness before changing the subject: “Unfortunately, my daughter is not destined to marry you.”
Lin Zikui, who had been nervous, was now shocked. He stared blankly at Madam Xiao, her blurry face appearing grotesque in his eyes.
He uncertainly asked, “What do you mean….”
“I mean,” Madam Xiao coughed lightly, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, “Nephew, you’re still young. After you pass the imperial examination, you’ll marry a better woman. My daughter has been pampered since childhood and can’t endure hardship. Shall we, both families…. annul the engagement?”
Lin Zikui’s mind went blank.
A great despair enveloped him.
The pain in his eyes was nothing compared to the cold and desolate feeling in his heart.
For a moment, a mist filled his eyes, and he trembled uncontrollably: “Is this your decision or the Second Young Miss’?”
“Marriage decisions are made by parents. I’ve discussed this with your Uncle Xiao, and our daughter… has no objections.” Madam Xiaotried to be gentle. She didn’t dislike Lin Zikui. She initially chose him for his looks and talent, which she admired, leading to the engagement.
But Lin Zikui had eye problems and was rumored to have undescended testes, similar to a eunuch, which meant her daughter couldn’t marry him and suffer.
Besides, he had no title yet, just a scholar, unlikely to pass the imperial exam and might end up as a county magistrate in some rural area.
Additionally, her daughter was rebellious and had gotten pregnant. Delaying any further would expose her secret. The new son-in-law seemed decent enough.
So, it was settled.
Madam Xiao said, “If you have any requests, the Xiao family will try to meet them. I heard you’re waiting for the spring exam. This test requires some greasing of palms, so my husband has prepared 500 taels of silver for you.”
She clapped her hands, and a maid brought a tray of silver.
In the Ye Dynasty, where embezzling 60 taels could lead to a big prison sentence, 500 taels was a significant amount.
Lin Zikui, despite his dire need for money, didn’t even glance at it.
He restrained himself, kneeling before Madam Xiao, his voice trembling as he kowtowed heavily: “Aunt, I wish to see the Second Young Miss and hear her refusal personally. Please allow me to see her!”
Madam Xiao didn’t understand why he insisted on seeing her daughter, but seeing him like this, she wasn’t heartless and had the maid call for her.
“Please rise, nephew. No need to kneel. It’s us who wronged you. If I had another daughter, I would surely have her marry you.”
By now, Lin Zikui could no longer feel the pain in his eyes.
His heart ached, and he said, “If the Second Young Miss is willing to marry me, would you give us your blessing?”
Impossible!
Madam Xiao didn’t say this aloud but replied, “Listen to what my daughter has to say.”
Miss Xiao, unmarried and recently gaining weight due to pregnancy, used a round fan to cover her small, plump face as she crossed the threshold, calling, “Mother.”
“Come, Qiaoqiao, this is Young Master Lin.”
Miss Xiao had heard from the maid that Young Master Lin, upon hearing about the annulment, had knelt and begged to see her and hear her refusal personally.
She was reluctant but eager to break off the engagement, so she came with a bare face.
To her surprise, Young Master Lin’s appearance exceeded her expectations. He had a refined, picturesque aura, with delicate and gentle features.
He’s far more handsome than her lover Wen Lang.
However, his eyes were frighteningly red, looking at her sorrowfully.
“The Second Young Miss… Are you here?” Lin Zikui didn’t recognize the familiar voice.
“Young Master Lin? I am Xiao Ting.” Miss Xiao realized Young Master Lin wasn’t just cross-eyed; he was partially blind.
“Xiao… Ting.” He murmured her name, shaking his head, “No, you’re not the Second Young Miss. I am looking for Xiao Zhaoling!”
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